Introduction
Knowledge is defined as the accurate understanding or acquaintance with areas of human survival. The more advanced understandings we have with on environment represent our improved survival. Humans traditionally gain knowledge through two sources. The first is through books. Books have always been the elementary source of knowledge from a very tender age. Children are not the only a group that use books or other written sources to gain knowledge but also adults.
Despite the fact that books are very informative, experience is also another vital source of knowledge for humans. Experience is very vital as it uses real situations that may also be recorded to benefit the younger generation. Experience gives rise to recorded knowledge and making the two sources related. However, some of the recorded knowledge may be accepted for sometimes then discarded and replaced with newer theories. Knowledge may be discarded for different issues and reasons (Theoryofknowledge.net 2013). In addition, people may choose to disregard or keep relevant this knowledge for different reasons. This essay will examine the truth to the statement that knowledge may be accepted today but disregarded tomorrow. In addition, this theory of knowledge will be analyzed on different areas of knowledge.
Earth being flat
Humans have always wanted to uncover more about the universe and how to exist more comfortably. Many centuries ago when man first existed on earth, they discovered many things and thought that they had completely understood the universe. However, with every phenomenal scientist or theorist, they are proved wrong (Theoryofknowledge.net 2013). This would be a reason why people opt to discard knowledge that they thought was significant and accepted in the past. A good example is when humanity thought the earth was flat instead of round. This is because of the fact that the earth looks flat. Carbon (131) argues that it could also be because Sumerian’s geographical environment, which was the first civilization, was considerably flat especially with good weather. It could also be because the earth had a considerable length, which on average is perfectly flat. This would be easily believable if they presumably uneavened depressions and elevations therefore are left with a flat surface. Contributing to this notion, ponds, oceans, and seas stretch for very long distances and look flat on quiet days. They believed this notion not because of stupidity, but the fact that they were used to believing much more simplistic ideas and explanations.
However, discarding knowledge now because it is generally untrue could be wrong. On the surface, the knowledge could be wrong but there would be some truth in it. For example, philosophers that argued that the earth was flat in ancient times used methodologies that more recent philosophers used to argue that the earth surface was spherical before the inventions of modern technology that enable satellite pictures. Ancient philosophers argued that the earth was flat since they calculated the spherical curvature of the planet being 0.000126 Carbon (135). This is very close to zero. As a result, such a minor difference would have been neglected and the findings concluded to support that the earth was flat instead of round. With limited mathematical measuring techniques at the disposal of ancient philosophers, such accuracy would have been impossible to detect and therefore conclude that the earth was indeed round. In addition, ancient philosophers were unmistaken to argue for the earth being round since the earth did not have the standard characteristic of a spherical object like a standard diameter. The fact that the Greeks used latitudes and longitudes way before the earth was proven to be spherical means that they were correct in more areas than those that they were wrong (Carbon 134).
Creation verses the Big Bang Theory
Knowledge that was accepted in the past would be rejected later because of intuition and perception. These issues are highly motivated by emotions, which may not necessarily align with reason. A good example is the matter between the creation theory and the Big Bang Theory. Both theories exhibit considerable amount of reasoning and are instinctively appealing. However, these theories have established controversies between modern philosophers and their religious counterparts. The creation theory was established as the valid explanation of the history of humanity for over a thousand years. According to Stoeger (153), this theory establishes that the earth is indeed too complex to have, everything formed and created by chance and therefore were created using supernatural powers from God who formed everything with intellect design. On the other hand, Haarsma (135) states that the Big Bang Theory exploits the idea that a rapid blast occurred at one small point, which generated enough energy, and matter, which promoted the speedy growth of the universe. This is purported to have resulted to what the universe is today. Both this theories do not have a basis to disregard the theory. Unlike the big bang theory, the creation theory is intuitive and filled with emotion. Certain theorists argue that the big bang theory wins in validity since there is physical documented evidence that supports the theory. This would allow the ancient religious theory on the creation of earth to be disregarded as it lacks basic evidence to support it.
Whereas most philosophers consider intuition to be against reason, others argue that it is the very core of reason. They argue that since certain explanations are driven by intuitive emotion, this does not make them necessarily wrong and therefore being discarded. The question therefore arises whether the creation theory ought to be discarded because it is driven by intuitive emotion rather than reason. Stoeger (153) argues that just as the religious theory lacks evidence to prove its validity, so does it lack evidence to attest that it actually happened. Therefore, for these reason, it cannot be discarded. Another example of intuitive appealing explanation in history is the traditional Chinese method of healing. Researchers over the years have argued that this method is a placebo and actually has not medicinal value. Gorski (2012) presents evidence to support that traditional medicine has been found to be faster and produces better results compared to modern medicine. Although modern medicine takes effect after several hours, it does cause harm to the human anatomy in terms of immunity and other areas. This perfect illustration supports that intuitive explanations based on faith and other non-scientific explanations should not be discarded.
Morality and ethics
Today, ethics and culture have resulted to a different society as that one experience a century ago. This may be as a result to evolution of human rights, integration of culture, and effect by technology. As a result, knowledge considered relevant in the past may be discarded today due to changes in the society. According to Flanagan and Robert (440), today’s world has changed views in issues regarding human rights, sexuality, and family roles. In the past, matters like homosexuality, and sex before marriage were considered abominations in the general society. However today, these matters have become much more accepted in most parts of the world. It is because most people have been allowed to embrace their personalities and the fact that the world has become more accepting of difference in people. Exploitation of human rights improved throughout the century. It includes areas like slavery, female circumcision, and other degrading traditional passage rights performed on women by ancient communities (Flanagan and Robert 440). Women have also gained a standing in the leadership platforms. Today, women have equal rights as men in areas like education, politics, and job employment whereas in the past most civilizations expected women to fit into more traditional roles like housekeeping and child bearing. This confirms that it is acceptable to discard knowledge that was regarded beneficial in the past.
However, new ethics have led to increase in human diseases and degradation of morals led by loose moral standards upheld in the modern society. Diseases like cancer and HIV/AIDS have emerged and today kill millions every single year due to change in lifestyle. Change in morality and technological advancement has led to the spread of these diseases, which have remained a mystery to humanity. Having multiple sexual partners and increase of homosexuality has led to HIV/AIDS and other STDs. Pregnancy in teenagers and young adults has also led to people particularly the younger generation disrespecting human life through abortion (Flanagan and Robert 440). Such habits continue to be encourages by policies accepted in the so-called modern nations like those that have legalized abortion. Flanagan and Robert (440) states that destructive habits like drug abuse and addiction have been further exercised by media through movies and technology which has enabled manufacture of these drugs. People would argue that ancient ethics and morals were restrictive and old fashioned but they prevented such things from happening. This concludes that knowledge accepted today should not be disregarded in tomorrow.
Conclusion
In conclusion, humanity will always search for new reasons why things are the way they are. This had led to modernity and progression in lifestyle and mortality. This improvements and discoveries, though insignificant on their own, they are part of an intricate advancement in technology and understanding of earthly elements. Due to continued discoveries and understanding of different topics, humanity may be tempted to disregarded knowledge that was acceptable today but was proved wrong over time. However, this should not always be the case.
This theory of knowledge has examined different areas of knowledge like ethics, religion, and natural sciences. These areas of knowledge have clearly contrasting understanding in matters relating to the world depending on how modern or ancient they are. Ancient reasoning has depth as well as reason but due to limited technology and access to education, it is often surpassed by modern knowledge. This means that though the outdated knowledge should cannot be used to explain various areas of humanity, they should be respected (Theoryofknowledge.net 2013). It is because they are the foundation of the first thought that was used to discover the modern knowledge. It is also important to understand that the knowledge that we regard to be modern today will be regarded as obsolete in the future.
References
Theoryofknowledge.net. Areas of Knowledge, 2013. Web January 14, 2014. http://www.theoryofknowledge.net/areas-of-knowledge/
Stoeger, William R. "The Big Bang, Quantum Cosmology And Creatio Ex Nihilo." Creation and the God of Abraham. 152-175. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ Pr, 2010. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
Haarsma, Deborah B. "Christian And Atheist Responses To Big Bang Cosmology." Science and religion in dialogue Volume one. 131-149. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
Flanagan, Owen, and Robert Anthony Williams. "What Does The Modularity Of Morals Have To Do With Ethics? Four Moral Sprouts Plus Or Minus A Few." Topics In Cognitive Science 2.3 (2010): 430-453. Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
Gorski, David. Can we finally just say that acupuncture is nothing more than an elaborate placebo? 2012. Web, 14 January 2014.
Carbon, Claus-Christian. "The Earth Is Flat When Personally Significant Experiences With The Sphericity Of The Earth Are Absent." Cognition 116.1 (2010): 130-135. Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
